SWFL joins program to tackle ice problem

The South West Football League have joined a nation-wide program to help tackle the ice problem in the community.

The South West Football League have jumped on-board a new program to help tackle the ice problem in the community.

The SWFL will join sporting clubs across Australia in a new $4.6 million program to reduce the drug’s devastating impact on communities.

Good Sports Tackling Illegal Drugs program will see 75 community forums held over four years to help clubs across the nation safeguard their players and supporters.

Funded by the Australian Government, community sporting clubs will receive tailor-made alcohol and drug harm prevention training as part of the four-year project.

SWFL president Barry Tate said more than three thousand people watched their games across the region each weekend during the football season making their players role models in the community.

“If we can send a message to players to say no, especially the younger players, it is positive message to spread in the community,” he said.

“We started last year with a drug aware round.”

Good Sports ambassador and Olympic gold medalist and Kim Brennan said sporting clubs connected and supported people who were doing it tough and worked to solve health and social issues in their communities.

“One in six Australians have taken an illegal drug in the last year, so it’s likely every Australian sports club has at least one person who has been impacted by drugs,” she said.

According to the Alcohol and Drug Foundation, one in 10 people regularly use an illegal drug with people aged between 20 and 29 most likely to have used drugs in the last 12 months.

Ms Brennan said it was clear from the ADF’s Good Sports program that community sports clubs wanted to respond to drug issues like ‘ice’ in their communities.”

The ADF WA manager Greg Williams said they were aiming to hold their first forum on May 30 which would be hosted by the SWFL and include representatives from the Busselton Magpies.

Mr Williams said the ADF was working with other sporting associations such as hockey to host more forums throughout WA.

At the forums, coaches, league officials and club representatives would be given training on how to prepare and deal with a range of scenarios including what to do if they find drugs at their club.

They would also learn how to respond to a person suspected of using and what to do if someone was found dealing drugs at their club.

The program would also help clubs create a policy so people know how to be respond to ‘ice-related’ issues.